Office of Security, Safety and Risk Management
General Rules for Safe Transport of Chemicals
- Use a hand-held rubber safety bottle carrier for
liquids and hazardous solids in glass containers. These carriers are
mandatory for 2.5 L and 4 L bottles of liquids. Carriers may be
borrowed from the stockroom but please return the carrier as soon as
you have reached your destination with the hazardous reagent.
- Do
not attempt to carry an armful of bottles. Use a cart with side panels
if transporting several chemicals at once. Do not allow containers to
collide with each other during transport.
- Always use
a hand truck for cylinders of compressed gases. Remove regulators and
replace protective cylinder cap before transport. Do not drag or roll
cylinders. Chain the cylinder to the hand truck as soon as cylinder is
in place before transport.
- Never pick up a bottle by the cap or lid.
- Wear eye protection while transporting chemicals.
- Plan to transport the extremely hazardous chemicals during times of reduced traffic in the halls.
- Do not transport extremely hazardous materials by yourself.
- Bring a spill kit when transporting hazardous liquids.
- Place bottles of extremely toxic or carcinogenic chemicals in an unbreakable outer container before transport.
- Wear protective gloves and laboratory coat.
- Extremely hazardous materials should be sent in an empty elevator to a second person waiting at the desired floor.
- Transport
dry ice in an elevator without passenger or by using the stairs. A
relative small block can produce enough CO2 gas to displace all oxygen
in the enclosed area should the elevator become disabled.
